Seconds
by sheffield-accents
Summary: The war is over. Garden has been stagnant as need for SeeDs declines. Seifer Almasy returns to Balamb after a two year absence with some news that will create an unlikely alliance and a new need for the SeeDs. Seifer x Quistis


The news was all over Garden: Seifer Almasy was back in town. Of course, as gossip spreads, it tends to become distorted. What had started off as a simple statement had turned into an elaborate story about a hijacked boat, several injured SeeDs, and a warrant for Seifer's arrest by the time it reached Quistis Trepe's ears.

It took several seconds for her to process the story that had been told to her by a nervous student outside the library. Quistis was just about to return to her room for a well-deserved nap after hours of research when the student had run into her and expressed her concerns about Seifer Almasy potentially blowing up the school.

"I'm sorry, what?" Quistis blinked. She pulled her glasses off, cleaned the smudges from them slowly, then placed them back on her nose and stared at the young student.

"I heard from my friend Elizabetha that Seifer Almasy killed some people in Balamb!"

"Seifer Almasy hasn't been seen around Balamb in over two years," Quistis laughed. "I doubt that rumor has much basis in reality."

The student shook her head fervently. "It's true. It is! Everyone's talking about it. We're in big trouble Ms. Trepe!"

Quistis sighed. "I'll talk to the headmaster, hm?"

"O-okay."

She patted the girls shoulder in an attempt at comfort and then made her way across the large foyer to the cafeteria where she knew she would find some answers in the form of a small, belligerent blonde named Zell Dincht.

He was hunched over a table in the corner of the cafeteria, shoveling food into his mouth at a record rate while his girlfriend, a petite brunette in a SeeD uniform, sat staring on in mild disgust.

Quistis pulled up a chair and sat down across from the two of them. His girlfriend smiled, pleased to have company that could speak without a mouthful of food. "Hey, Quistis. What's up?"

Quistis was distracted by the horrific sounds escaping Zell's throat as he choked down his food. A look of revulsion slowly spread across her face. "I…Zell could you stop eating for one second?"

Zell looked up as though he had just noticed her. "Hhh Stiss" he tried to speak. He swallowed an enormous lump of food and grinned, revealing several particles of chewed meat still stuck between his teeth. "Hi, Quistis. Michelle said she didn't think I could eat all my food in ten minutes."

"It wasn't a challenge," his girlfriend frowned.

"Never joke about food with him," Quistis said very seriously. "You should know that by now."

"You'd think I would, and yet…" Michelle trailed off.

"Where have you been all morning?" Zell asked. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and examined himself in the reflection of his food tray.

"I was doing some research for Squall in the library."

"Research for what?"

"Oh, he's interested in introducing a new species into the training center, but Cid won't let him unless he can come up with five valid reasons why it would survive with the other monsters and why it would be worth the money to transport it and set up a breeding program. Cid's been pretty cheap with upgrades for the training center lately."

"Probably because nobody's been hiring anyone out and we aren't making any money," Zell sighed. "I got a pay cut last week."

"We all did," Quistis said.

"Except Squall probably."

"Squall's our most valuable asset. He's the best SeeD we have and…"

"Oh, you don't have to gush about him," Zell leaned his head on his hand. "I know you'd still bone him given half the chance, but…"

Quistis' eyebrows furrowed. "I would never try to come between him and Rinoa. I…"

"Yeah, yeah," Zell waved his hand dismissively. "You'd still defend him even if he massacred half of Garden. Don't act like you wouldn't. It's fine, you know. Whatever you want to do with your life. Whatever outdated crushes you want to keep harboring. It wouldn't hurt you to get out of Garden once in a while and go into town with us."

"There's one bar in Balamb and everybody knows everyone," Quistis said. "Sorry if that's not the ideal place to meet men."

"Well where are you going to meet them then? We never leave the island anymore."

"Maybe you could try and get off with Squall's dad," Michelle exclaimed. "He's really dreamy. I would definitely…" She trailed off as Zell trained a steely gaze on her.

Quistis laughed. "Laguna is very attractive, but I have no interest in pursuing something there. A bit long distance anyway, isn't it?" She shook her head. "I didn't come here to talk about my love life!"

"Or lack thereof," Zell muttered.

Quistis pursed her lips. "I came here because when I was leaving the library one of the students came running up yelling about Seifer Almasy blowing up a boat in Balamb or something ridiculous like that. Have you heard anything?" Zell and Michelle exchanged a look. "You have! What did you hear?"

"I saw Seifer in town when I stopped by my mom's earlier. He was out by the bay fishing on the docks with Raijin and Fujin. I didn't stop to talk to him or anything, but I told Michelle and Irvine about it when I got back. They must have spread it around."

"Irvine and I ran into Selphie later and told her and who knows who she told?" Michelle added.

"He certainly wasn't blowing anything up," Zell said. "I just thought to tell them because nobody's seen him in two years. Not even Raij or Fuj. I mean I saw them last week and we were talking about it and they asked me if I'd heard anything from Cid about him."

"I wonder why he came back," Quistis said.

"Who knows? Now that it's all over Garden it's only a matter of time before there's some sort of hunt to track him down and confront him about things," Zell sighed. "You know as well as anyone how much I'd love to kick his ass for all the shit he put us through. But it's so far in the past I don't see the point of it anymore. So long as he doesn't come here looking for a fight, I'm not too bothered by him being in town. I have more important things to worry about."

"Maybe I should talk to Squall about it," Quistis thought aloud.

"Go for it," Zell stood up and Michelle followed suit. "I've got to get back to work. Class at two."

"See you around, Quistis!" Michelle waved as they walked off.

She waved distractedly and got up as well, heading in the direction of the dormitories and SeeD apartments branching off the northwest wing of the building. Garden hadn't flown in the two years since the war ended, and since then a lot of repairs had been done to make the building more multifunctional in the event that it ever needed to be flown again. As such the sweeping outdoor hallway that once led to the dormitories had been replaced with a closed, windowless hall that could expand and contract when Garden was in flight.

Quistis followed this hallway to a maze of more halls, past the student dorms, to the area where the SeeDs apartments were located. This had been another new addition when Garden had been renovated, one that Quistis was happy for. She needed a bigger space than a cramped dorm, especially as she grew older, but she didn't like to be far from Garden in case an emergency came about.

She instinctively made her way to her own apartment before realizing she was searching for Squall. She turned down the hall adjacent to her own and knocked on the door to apartment 23. There was no reply.

"Squall?" she jiggled the handle and when she found it was unlocked, she let herself in. Squall was notorious for losing himself in his work. He probably hadn't even heard her.

The apartment was well decorated, thanks in large part to Squall's fiancée, Rinoa. She had added contemporary art and furniture to spruce the place up when they'd moved in. The only thing Squall had brought was his tattered leather jacket, his gunblade, and a large collection of belts.

"Don't be long!" A sweet, high-pitched voice sounded from the open bedroom door on the opposite wall.

A handsome, well-toned man with feathery chestnut hair stumbled out of the room with a grin on his face wearing absolutely nothing. "I won't be. I just need a glass of water…" when he saw Quistis, the grin slid off his face and he quickly covered himself with his hands. "Quistis!"

She flushed bright red and stared at her feet. "Squall! I'm sorry! The door was unlocked and I thought you were just working…"

"Well what do you want!"

"Why don't you put on some clothes?"

"Right…" Squall looked down at himself and hurried back into his bedroom.

Quistis could hear him talking heatedly with Rinoa and then both of them exited the bedroom, Squall in a tight-fitting t-shirt and boxer shorts and Rinoa in a bathrobe tied tightly around her thin frame. She pulled her long, silky black hair back into a bun and smiled brightly.

"Hi, Quistis."

"I'm really sorry," Quistis mumbled.

"The damage is already done," Squall slumped down onto the couch. "What's so pressing?"

"Zell said he saw Seifer in Balamb today."

"Really?" Rinoa asked.

"So?" Squall shrugged.

"So nobody's seen him in two years. Don't you think we should go and see what he's doing here? Why would he come back to Balamb?"

"It's his home, Quistis. It seems natural to me. It's not like he has any family abroad or something. Who knows what he's been up to? Who cares?"

"I just think we should go and talk to him before Cid hears about it and tries to drag him back to Garden."

Squall laughed, a sound that was once very unfamiliar. "Cid tried that once before. I doubt he'll try it again. Seifer has always done whatever he damn well pleased. I don't see why now will be any different. If you want to go see what he's up to then be my guest. I don't want to waste any more time on that loser."

Quistis frowned. "Well I just hope he's not up to any trouble…"

"If he is, it's nothing I can't take care of. God, Quistis, you look like hell. Go back to your apartment and get some rest. How long were you in the library this morning?"

"I've been there since three…" She rubbed her eyes. The news of Seifer's return had temporarily distracted her from her fatigue, but now it was back full force.

"Go get some sleep. You can tell me what you found later. And forget about Seifer. He's not worth our time."

She nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry I interrupted you…er…" she tinged pink. "I'll see you later," she hurried out the door and shut it quickly behind her.

Squall was probably right. She had more important things to worry about than Seifer Almasy. He had never been worth her time.


End file.
